What do you like about your A3/S3?

I like the fact everyone assumes the S3 isn't very quick - even in a lairy colour like mine... that once moving I have the confidence in the car to push hard enough to keep up with MUCH quicker cars on paper over our roads.

I also like the fact it's the only car I've been in where I am comfortable for a very long journey, guess that explains how I've ended up doing 75,000+ miles while owning it.

All this ******** about needing a remap / sorting the suspension is all well and good, but it's not a bad car in standard 210 guise and I've left a tuned CTR for dead in real life recently.

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Couldn't of put it better myself, Im happy with the performance without the remap but am still considering getting it

Couldn't of put it better myself, Im happy with the performance without the remap but am still considering getting it

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I was happy with the performance too until I got it remapped and fettled with the rest. Now a lot happier - faster, handles better, stops quicker, more smiles per mile. But very costly and I can understand why someone would leave their cars standard. Just don't start, cause you won't stop.

1) The looks, when polished up (black with ali mirrors), there's no car for the money that I'd rather own.
2) The interior (half leather/silver alcantara), BOSE etc, excellent place to be and so much better than any Subaru/Type R/Cupra R in my humble opinion.
3) The power/grip/fuel consumption (with a remap).
4) The residuals (although they have taken a bit of a fall of late).
5) The image. Call me superficial and shallow, but not too many Chav types own them (although ultimately in time this will happen which is a shame).
6) The ability on sweeping A roads to make great (ahem)......progress.

All this is just my humble opinion and based on having driven a lot of fast well sorted machinery. Still miss my Golf Mk3 16v Anniversary with sports handling kit.....

At the time like a few people I was considering Type R's, Cupra R's, WRX's and 330ci's. Still feel I made the right choice. The S3 is by no means the best, just the best package for my needs. Does what is says on the tin I suppose!!

"We don't do these things to escape life, but to stop life escaping us"

Despite what some think, I loved my S3. It was a brilliant car...especially when fully sorted. It looked good, was quick, handled brilliently, braked superbly, was fantastically put together...but was dull to drive.

Very capable...but dull.

Despite that, I regret selling it as it was effortlessly quick.

Personally, I don't think an S3 can be called fast.
It's not. Quick...OK...but not fast.
Drive a fast car and you'll know what fast is. And an S3 isn't it.

The standard S3 is a fine car for everyday driving...but for really pressing on the handling is verging on dangerous. The chassis is numb and unresponsive.
It handles OK at best...but with a bit of work it can be brilliant.
Standard...it's not a good handling car and anyone who thinks it is obviously hasn't driven proper handling cars.

The brakes are weak...but I never thought they were all that bad...sure the Brembos take things to a new level, but chance the standard pads and make big improvements.

My S3 is not as quick as my old M3 (E36) but think its quick enough, i find the standard brakes very good so far, handling is ok, good grip but still not the sort of car you can throw around so could be better.

As said already its no supercar but i think its a good all round package for the money.

I was after either an S3 or Civic type R, knew the civic would be more reliable and probably handle better but went for the S3 in the end as Civic type R's are quite common and also i thought if i get bored or the performance then the S3 is cheaper and easier to improve.

So they are'nt cack then are they, they just could be better. Same as most things in life.

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I think they do justify being called cack.

The pads overheat with spirited road driving and the discs don't get any cooling air.

Remove the splash shields from the insides and fit some better pads and they are fine...I ran with standard callipers, grooved standard discs, EBC pads and no splash guards for long enough...and they were fine for aggressive road use...if you could live with the spongy pedal.

But Brembos are much better all round.

Either way, standard (I mean standard pads...the lot) they are very, very poor for a heavy car with the potential for going swiftly.

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I love the look of the car and the fact its got all the mod cons that i wanted in the car.

The down side is its boring.

I use to have a mk1 golf gti, and all i wnated to do was keep spending money on it. I thought whats the point of spending all this money so ended up getting a car that wouldnt need me to mod it as it would have the complete package from standard.

Now i miss having my mk1 golf and the fun of woriking on it and driving it. Dont think i could use it as a daily driver again as im to use to the comfort of the S3.

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